It is known to construct tubular members for vehicles such as automotive vehicles. The tubular members are typically extruded from aluminum or magnesium and have a constant wall thickness. However, it is occasionally desirable to have a tubular member that has a wall thickness distribution around the perimeter of the tube, wherein the wall thickness varies.
It is also known that rollformers or tailored tube producers have made steel tubular members with a varying wall around the perimeter of the tubular member. To vary the wall thickness, strips of metal of differing gage have been welded together axially prior to joining the strips into a tubular form. However, these tubular members are costly due to the extra material and labor involved.
As a result, it is desirable to provide a variable thickness tubular member or blank to achieve a desirable wall thickness where needed for a structural member of a vehicle. It is also desirable to provide a hydroformed tubular member having a varying wall thickness around a perimeter thereof for a structural member of a vehicle. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a new cost effective method for manufacturing a variable thickness tubular member for a vehicle that meets these desires.